Folding square.



B. L. BRON$0N.

FOLDING SQUARE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY a0, 1913 Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

LT. llli|l lllllllllll awueulio'c BLB R N soN Wilmeooeo BERT L. BRONSON, E BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSZGNOR Cl]? UllE-EIALZF 0F BLAIR-SVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

JOHN S. BAUGHMAN,

PATENT FOLDING SQUARE.

Patented Mar. Serial No. 782,103.

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To all #0710227. it may concern:

Be it itnown that 1, Bear L. Bronson, citizen of the United States, residing at lilairsville, in the county of lndiana and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Folding i quares, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved folding square and has for its primary object to produce a device of this character which is extremely simple in its construct-ion, may be manufactured at nominal cost o and is highly eflicicnt, reliable and serviceable in practical use.

Theinven ion has for another object the provision of a folding square or rule embodying but two primary elements, one of which is provided with means which cooperates with the other element to hold the latter in its several adjusted positions.

l Vith the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description 5 proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which t Figure l is a plan view of my improved folding square showing the adjustable arm in its extended position; 2 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 on a reduced scale showing the several additional adjustments of the arm in dotted lines; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable arm.

Referring in detail to the drawing 5 designates the body member which is formed from a single plate of brass, steel or other metal and is preferably graduated along each of its longitudinal edges as shown at The body member 5 is provided with an opening 9, the walls of which are inclined or tapered to provide a seat for the frustovonical or flaring head 8 of the rivet 7. The ther end of the rivet is provided with an l annular flange 10 for engagement upon a shoulder provided in an opening formed in the end of the adjustable arm 9. The flaring head 8 of the rivet is provided with key lugs 11 at diametrically opposite points for engagement in notches or recesses at the edge of the opening in the body member 5, whereby said rivet is prevented from rotating in the adjustment of the arm or blade 9. The arm 9 is also provided with scale graduations 12 along one of its longitudinal edges.

An elongated spring ton ue 13 is cut from the body member, shid tongue being integral with the body member at one of its ends and having its other or free end dis posed contiguous to the arm or blade 9. ft is to be noted from reference to Fig. l of the drawing that the end edge of this spring tongue 13 is slightly beveled as at i l. The longitudinal edges of the arm or blade ll at its pivoted end are also beveled or inclined as at 15.

In the normal position of the tongue 13, the same has one of its faces disposed outwardly beyond the corresponding face of the body member 5, but not to a sufficient extent to project beyond the plane of the outer face 01": the blade or arm 9. As shown in Fig. 1 in this normal condition of the tongue 13, when the blade or arm is extended to a position at right angles to the memher 5, the free end of said tongue is engaged with one of the longitudinal edges of said arm. Thus the arm is held against pivotal movement from its adjusted position upon the body member and defines a true right an' gle with respect thereto. By providing the beveled edges 14 and 15 upon the tongue 13 and arm 12 respectively for contact with each other, wear of the parts is compensated for so that the arm 9 after a short period of use ordinarily will not be liable casual pivotal movement upon the end of the body member in the use of the device.

As shown in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines it, when it is desired to use the device as a rule, the arm or blade 9 is disposed in longitudinal alinement with the body member In this position of the arm, the end of the spring tongue 13 bears against the inner end of the arm, the frictional contact between these parts effectually serving to prevent accidental movement of the arm or blade. In the second dotted line position B, the arm or blade 9 is disposed upon the opposite side of the body member 5 from the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

W'Vhen it is desired to fold the device so that the same may be conveniently carried in the pocket, the arm 9 is swung inwardly upon the face of the body'member 5 and the spring tongue 13 bearing against said arm acts to retain the same in its closed or fold ed position.

'From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and manner of use of my invention will be obvious. It will be seen that no additional elements have been added todevices of this character now in common use, while at the same time reliable and efiicient means is provlded constituting an integral part of one of the two primary ele- Having thus described the invention,what is claimed is: c

The hereindescribed folding square comprising a body member consisting of a metal blade having an elongated longitudinally extending spring tongue out therefrom adja cent one of its ends, an adjustable arm or 7 blade pivotally connected to the body member adjacent the free end of the spring tongue and adapted to be disposedat right angles thereto or folded to lie in superposed relation to the body member, the free end of said spring tongue and the longitudinal edges of the adjustable blade at its pivoted.

end being beveled, the end of said tongue engaging one of the beveled edges of the blade and holding the same in a position at right angles to the body member, said blade when in its folded position being disposed longitudinally upon the body member over said tongue and held in such folded position by the frictional engagement of the tongue therewith.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 7 signature in the presence of two witnesses. BERT L. BRONSON.

Witnesses M. C. LYDDANE, CHAS. M. BIROKHEAD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

